AACN Applauds Decision
of the AONE Board to Move
Registered Nursing Education to the Baccalaureate Level
AONE Action Echoes AACN’s Calls
for a Better Educated Nursing Workforce
WASHINGTON, DC, May 6, 2005 – The American
Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) applauds the
recent
statement from the American Organization of Nurse
Executives (AONE) to move the education level of registered
nurses to the baccalaureate level in the future. AACN
has long advocated for creating a more highly educated
nursing workforce in the interest of improving patient
safety and providing better care. Nurse executives, federal
agencies, the military, national nursing organizations,
health care foundations, Magnet Hospitals, and minority
nurse advocacy groups all recognize the unique value that
baccalaureate-prepared nurses bring to the practice setting.
“AACN is a leading advocate for the
baccalaureate degree as the minimum educational credential
for professional nursing practice,” said AACN President
Jean E. Bartels. “We applaud the AONE Board of Directors
for their leadership and vision which will reinforce efforts
to enhance the education level of the nursing workforce
and better position nurses as equal partners in the health
care delivery system.”
AACN believes that education has a direct
impact on the skills and competencies of a nurse clinician.
Nurses with baccalaureate degrees are well-prepared to
meet the demands placed on today's nurse across a variety
of settings and are prized for their critical thinking,
leadership, case management, and health promotion skills.
Baccalaureate-prepared nurses receive an additional layer
of entry-level education which enhances their professional
development, prepares the new nurse for a broader scope
of practice as well as public and community health roles,
and provides the nurse with a better understanding of
the cultural, political, economic, and social issues that
affect patients and influence care delivery.
Currently, only 43 percent of the registered
nursing (RN) workforce possesses baccalaureate or higher
degrees, with the remaining nurses prepared with an associate
degree (34 percent) or diploma (22 percent). Efforts to
enhance the education level of the nursing population
are hampered by the fact that very few nurses prepared
in associate degree programs continue their education
once they begin working. According to the latest survey
conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
only 16 percent of associate degree-prepared nurses obtain
post-RN nursing or nursing related degrees.
“AACN encourages nurses prepared in
diploma and associate degree programs to advance their
education in the interest of patient safety and as a mechanism
for career advancement,” added Dr. Bartels. “We
stand ready to work with representatives from these programs
to expand awareness of degree completion options, establish
innovative partnerships, and facilitate nursing’s
movement toward the baccalaureate degree.”
According to AACN data, there are currently
628 RN-to-Baccalaureate degree and 137 RN-to-Master’s
degree programs offered at nursing schools nationwide,
many of which may be completed online. Further, hundreds
of articulation agreements exist between community colleges
and four-year institutions to seamlessly move nurses with
diplomas and associate degrees into baccalaureate nursing
programs.
Further, new evidence is emerging which
underscores the importance of baccalaureate nursing education
to safe patient care and quality outcomes. Leading nurse
researcher Dr. Linda Aiken published a study in the Journal
of the American Medical Association in September 2003
which found that patients have a “substantial survival
advantage” if treated in hospitals with higher proportions
of baccalaureate-prepared nurses. Dr. Aiken and colleagues
found that every 10 percent increase in the proportion
of nurses with bachelor’s degrees results in a 5
percent decrease in patient mortality rates. A new study
published by Dr. Carole Estabrooks and colleagues in the
March/April 2005 issue of Nursing Research confirmed that
baccalaureate prepared nurses have a positive impact on
mortality rates following an examination of more than
18,000 patient outcomes at 49 Canadian hospitals.
“The research clearly shows that baccalaureate
nursing education is linked to quality patient care, fewer
nursing errors, and saving lives,” said AACN Executive
Director Geraldine “Polly” Bednash. “Nurses
sign a social contract with patients to provide the best
care possible and fulfilling that contract means acquiring
the knowledge and expertise needed to get the job done
right.”
In support of AACN’s work to advance
the education level of the registered nursing workforce,
the following documents have been prepared to educate
health care providers, legislators, the media and the
public:
Position Statement: The
Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing as Minimal Preparation
for Professional Practice
Fact Sheet: The
Impact of Education on Nursing Practice
Press Release: AACN
Applauds New Study that Confirms Link Between Nursing
Education and Patient Mortality Rates
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing is
the national voice for university and four-year-college
education programs in nursing. Representing more than
585 member schools of nursing at public and private institutions
nationwide, AACN's educational, research, governmental
advocacy, data collection, publications, and other programs
work to establish quality standards for bachelor's- and
graduate-degree nursing education, assist deans and directors
to implement those standards, influence the nursing profession
to improve health care, and promote public support of
baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research,
and practice. Web site: http://www.aacn.nche.edu
CONTACT: Robert Rosseter
(202) 463-6930, x231
rrosseter@aacn.nche.edu.
